


it's only comfort, calling late

by afinch



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Pre-Slash, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-26 09:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12056520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afinch/pseuds/afinch
Summary: Sometimes all we need is a gentle hand.





	it's only comfort, calling late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mols](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mols/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A little bit better already](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11360778) by [mols](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mols/pseuds/mols). 



Speirs was fucking bored. That was a fucking understatement. Speirs was going out of his goddamned mind. A few shots in the ass were nothing, but people were going to people and pull out the bullets and insist he do things like recuperate before heading back out. 

Too many others were too hurt for him to grab attention from the nurses, so he amused himself by counting the holes in the ceiling tiles. He'd tried talking to some of the other men, but they all shied away. It gave Speirs some pleasure, knowing the men were scared of him. One little intimidation rumor about knocking back Krauts, and they were under his thumb.

Well, almost all of them.

And, like some cosmic cue, his thoughts seemed to shift into the rows of beds.

"-but they need me," someone was protesting, though his voice wasn't raised. Speirs looked over. This looked better than boring.   
Roe was trying to push himself out of bed, while a rather irritated looking nurse pushed him back down. Thing was, the medic didn't even look pissed. Just patient, yet insistent. Speirs grinned. Lot of Company's didn't take to their medics; Roe was someone Speirs would like ten of. Quiet. Intense. Got the job done. He wished he'd noticed Roe earlier. Could have saved him from some of his boredom.

"They need me, too," Speirs called. The nurse death-glared at him. He grinned. The nurses liked him. He was usually in and out and … well, and acting just like Roe was. Speirs changed tack. 

"Hey, Doc," Speirs said. "Don't tell me we've lost another medic."

Roe recognized him, gave a half-shrug, and fell back on the bed.

The nurse left and Speirs hopped off his bed and scooted over to Roe's. Without saying a word, he offered a cigarette. 

"Fuck," Roe said. He looked up at the ceiling. He didn't take the cigarette. Speirs shrugged and put it back, then followed Roe's gaze to the ceiling.

"1543," Speirs said. "The holes. If you were thinking of counting."

Roe said nothing. He shifted slightly, turning his face from Speirs. 

Speirs frowned for a moment. It hadn't been him, had it? Was Roe mad at him? For something? What could he have done? Once again, Speirs changed tack.

"What happened?"

"I had a bad day," Roe said, his voice perfectly even. 

That was fucking obvious. They all had bad days. Speirs considered that a medic having a bad day meant a lot of men who were already having bad days were now having worse days. Not something he'd had to think about, before. 

"You should tell me about it," Speirs said. "I got lead in my buttocks. Can you top that?"

Roe moved his head back towards Speirs side, as though realizing that he wasn't going to get rid of the man.

"What do you want? An ice cream?"

Speirs grinned. Roe wasn't mad at him. Roe could never be mad at him. They were too much alike, both of them never letting down their guard, except in special circumstances. Speirs had long ago decided Roe was a special circumstance, way back at Toccoa. 

"I think we'd have to run Curahee for even the hint of ice cream," Speirs teased. "But really. Why so grumpy?"

"Long story."

Speirs gestured around, "Fuck, Gene, we got nothing but time."

Roe huffed and sat himself up, carefully. His leg was bandaged, but Roe was too proud to grimace in pain (add that to the list of reasons why Speirs liked him). "Fine. I didn't swim across enemy lines or anything, though."

"Right. I can see how that would upset you." Speirs thought about it, then added, "Shit, Gene, if the other side had morphine, you'd be across that river so fast ..."

"Hell, and I'd have done a better job, too."

Speirs laughed, and a smile spread across Roe's face. Roe wasn't like some of the other men, who laid on thick what they'd like to do if they had a little time. Roe played his cards closer to the vest. Didn't even flush when teased. Nor did he. You'd think, with his New England skin, he'd glow like a goddamned Christmas tree. But he could keep it close, and so could Roe. Maybe there were hints of redness on Roe's face, but it was hard to tell. And he couldn't peer at the man without it being obvious.

Truth be told, it drove Speirs mad. The first comeon had surprised him, back in Georgia, but then Roe had doggedly resisted all attempts by Speirs to get him to like him back. It was annoying. Sure, Speirs could have had his pick of men at this point, but there was something about Roe. Eyes like fire, hands like stone. Voice like- well, generally everyone else did all the talking for Roe.

Speirs looked at Roe, frowning slightly. He wished he had something to lighten the mood. All he had was an offer that he wasn't sure at all Roe would take, the bastard. "I can hop out of here any time, but you want me to keep you company for the night?"

Roe shrugged, "Sure thing. I don't mind at all. Just don't expect-"

He broke off. He wasn't embarrassed though. Just steady and quiet. A calm heartbeat. Still, it was confirmation and for now, Speirs could live with that. He smirked, "Aw, Gene, you're not going to get all bent out of shape over civil conversation, are you?"

Roe played back, quick on the draw. He jutted his lip, defensively, "And maybe I am. What would you say to that?"

"I'd say I know where to get morphine."

"Well, if it's drugs we're talking about, I could definitely use some."

He wasn't talking about himself, but Speirs couldn't help but tease, "Fuck, Gene, can't take a minor little injury?"

Roe's face clouded for a moment, and Speirs thought maybe he'd gone too far. But Roe nodded towards his leg, "I'll be back soon, too. With the shape Easy's in …"

Speirs didn't dwell on this. Fuck, he'd probably be leading Easy the way things were going. Speirs wasn't looking forward to that day. The only benefit was the men were already terrified of him. Save Roe, of course. Roe knew better.

"Well, we're not going to talk about that," Speirs decided. "What will we talk about?"

Roe shifted his head again, looked back up at the ceiling. It looked like he was trying to decide something. Speirs drummed his fingers against a cigarette. He could wait. 

Sure enough, after a minute, Roe turned his head back. Then grabbed the cigarette. "Take that bed." He pointed to the one on his left side. "I think the right one squeaks."

"Look at you, bossing me around. You could lead, easy."

And it was a double-entendre, the way his words moved. It meant more than it meant, more than it meant. 

"Damn right I could," Roe said, and they both knew he wasn't talking about Easy.


End file.
